Collapsible storage seat box

ABSTRACT

A collapsible storage seat box includes a folding collapsible box body formed of a soft box body cloth and multiple hard boards wrapped in the soft box body cloth, folding partition boards set in the box body to divide the holding space of the box body into multiple storage chambers, reinforcing bars vertically insertable into the folding box body and securable to each corner in the box body by, for example, hook and loop materials, and a cover member hinged to the box body and attached with a pad for sitting when closed on the box body and supported on the reinforcing bars.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to storage boxes and more particularly, toa collapsible storage seat box that is folding collapsible and can alsobe used as a seat.

2. Description of the Related Art

In order to reduce the dimension convenient for storage when not in use,many different types of folding collapsible storage boxes have beendisclosed, and have appeared on the market. For example, there is afolding collapsible storage box design that uses a soft fabric to make arectangular box body that has crossed folding lines on each of the fourupright panels thereof, and attaches horizontal top and bottom rods tothe four sides of the box body at the top and bottom sides and fourvertical rods to the four corners in the box body. Thus, these storagebox designs can be collapsed into a flat condition by means of atwisting action.

Because the rectangular box body of the aforesaid prior art design ismade of a soft fabric, the soft upright panels of the box body cannotsupport a heavy load. Therefore, this design of folding collapsiblestorage box design cannot be used as a seat for sitting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is one object of the present invention to provide a collapsiblestorage seat box, which is folding collapsible when not in use and canalso be used as a seat.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, acollapsible storage seat box comprises a folding collapsible box body,folding partition members inserted into the folding collapsible box bodyto divide the holding space of the folding collapsible box body intomultiple storage chambers, a plurality of reinforcing bars verticallyinserted into the folding collapsible box body and respectively attachedto the corners in the folding collapsible box body, a plurality of firstfastening members fixedly mounted in the folding collapsible box bodyaround the corners, a plurality of second fastening members fixedlyprovided at the reinforcing bars for fastening to the first fasteningmembers to secure the reinforcing bars to the inside of the foldingcollapsible box body in the corners, and a cover member hinged to thefolding collapsible box body. When the cover member is closed on thefolding collapsible box body, the reinforcing bars support the covermember, and therefore the collapsible storage seat box can be used as aseat for sitting.

Further, loops are mounted inside the folding collapsible box body tohold rod members in horizontal for hanging things.

Further, the folding collapsible box body is formed of a soft box bodycloth and multiple hard boards wrapped in the soft box body cloth suchthat a vertical folding line is defined on the middle of each of twoopposing upright side panels and in each corner between each twoadjacent upright side panels so that the folding collapsible box bodycan be folded into a collapsed flat condition. Further, the bottom panelof the folding collapsible box body is formed of a part of the soft boxbody cloth. Further, a hard bottom board is attached to the top side ofthe bottom panel of the folding collapsible box body. After removal ofthe hard bottom board, the folding collapsible box body can be foldedinto a collapsed flat condition.

Further, each reinforcing bar consists of a plurality of elongated hardmembers arranged in parallel and wrapped in a soft cloth. Thus, eachreinforcing bar can be folded in two reversed directions between acollapsed flat condition and an elongated operative condition, forexample, the shape of a prism.

Further, the first fastening members and the second fastening memberscan be hook and loop materials. Further, snap fasteners, buckles or anyother fastening means may be used to substitute for the hook and loopmaterials. Further, the folding partition boards can be respectivelyformed of a soft cloth and a plurality of hard boards wrapped in thesoft cloth. Further, the soft cloth of each folding partition board canbe stitched to the soft box body cloth of the folding collapsible boxbody. When it is not necessary to divide the holding space of thefolding collapsible box body into multiple storage chambers, the foldingpartition boards can be closely attached to the upright peripheralpanels of the folding collapsible box body.

Further, the cover member is formed of a soft cover member cloth and aplurality of hard boards and wrapped in the soft cover member cloth andhinged to the folding collapsible box body and adapted for covering thefolding collapsible box body. The cover member comprises two opposingfirst side blocks wrapped in the soft cover member cloth and arranged inparallel at two opposite lateral sides, two opposing second side blockswrapped in the soft cover member cloth and respectively kept in linewith the first side blocks in such a manner that a folding line isdefined in the soft cover member cloth between each first side block andthe associating second side block, and a third side block wrapped in thesoft cover member cloth and set between the second side blocks remotefrom the folding collapsible box body in such a manner that a foldingline is defined in the soft cover member cloth between the third sideblock and each second side block. Further, each first side block has abeveled end edge. Each second side block has a triangular shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a collapsible storage seat box inaccordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational assembly view of the collapsible storage seatbox in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention,showing the cover member opened from the box body.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 3, showing the cover member collapsed.

FIG. 5 is an elevational assembly view of the collapsible storage seatbox in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention,showing the cover member closed on the box body.

FIG. 6 illustrates the collapsed status of the collapsible storage seatbox in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective exploded view of a collapsible storage seat boxin accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective assembly view of the collapsible storage seatbox in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 corresponds to FIG. 8, showing the first partition board and thesecond partition board closely attached to the inside walls of the firstand second upright panels of the box body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a collapsible storage seat box 1 in accordance witha first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a boxbody 11, a cover member 12, a bottom board 13 and a plurality ofreinforcing bars 14. The box body 11 is formed of multiple hard boardswrapped in a soft cloth. According to this first embodiment, the boxbody 11 is a rectangular open container having two opposing firstupright panels, two opposing second upright panels, a horizontal bottompanel and a top open side. The horizontal bottom panel is formed of apart of the soft cloth. The two opposing first upright panels arerespectively formed of one respective hard board and wrapped in the softcloth. The two opposing second upright panels are respectively formed oftwo hard boards and wrapped in the soft cloth. The hard boards and thesoft cloth are so arranged that a vertical folding line 111 is definedon the middle of each of the two opposing second upright panels betweenthe associating two hard boards and in the corner between each firstupright panel and each second upright panel. The vertical folding lines111 extend vertically through the height of the box body 11. Thus, thebox body 11 can be folded into a collapsed flat manner through thefolding lines 111. After the box body 11 has been extended out, the hardbottom board 13 is put in the box body 11 and closely attached to thehorizontal bottom panel of the box body 11. The box body 11 further hasa plurality of first fastening members 112 fixedly located on the insidewalls of the first and second upright panels at different elevationsaround each corner, and a plurality of loops 113 located on the insidewalls of each of the first and second upright panels near the top openside.

Further, each reinforcing bar 14 consists of a plurality of elongatedhard members arranged in parallel and wrapped in a soft cloth. Thus,each reinforcing bar 14 can be folded in two reversed directions betweena collapsed flat condition and an elongated operative condition (forexample, the shape of a prism). Further, a plurality of second fasteningmembers 141 are fixedly located on each reinforcing bar 14.

According to this first embodiment, the first fastening members 112 andthe second fastening members 141 are hook and loop materials. After thebox body 11 has been extended out and the hard bottom board 13 has beenput in the box body 11 and closely attached to the horizontal bottompanel of the box body 11, the reinforcing bars 14 are folded into theelongated operative condition and then respectively vertically insertedinto the box body 11 in the corners to force the respective secondfastening members 141 into engagement with the respective firstfastening members 112 (see also FIG. 2). Snap fasteners, buckles or anyother fastening means may be used to substitute for the hook and loopmaterials. Further, hanging rods 2 can be inserted through the loops 113for hanging things inside the box body 11 (see FIG. 2).

The cover member 12 is a flat rectangular plate member formed of aplurality of hard boards and wrapped in a soft cloth and stitched withone side edge thereof to the soft cloth of the box body 11 along thetopmost edge of one first upright panel of the box body 11, having asponge pad 124 located on the top side inside the soft cloth, twoopposing first side blocks 121, two opposing second side blocks 122 anda third side block 123 arranged along three of the four sides beyond thebox body 11 and wrapped in the soft cloth of the cover member 2. Thefirst side blocks 121 are narrow, elongated flat blocks, each having abeveled end edge. The second side blocks 122 are flat triangular blocksrespectively disposed adjacent to the beveled end edges of the firstside blocks 121. The third side blocks 123 are narrow, elongated flatblocks set between the two second side blocks 122. Thus, the first sideblocks 121, the second side blocks 122 and the third side blocks 123 canbe set between a vertical operative condition, as shown in FIG. 3, and acollapsed flat condition, as shown in FIG. 4. When the cover member 12is closed on the box body 11, the cover member 12 is supported by thereinforcing bars 14, and therefore the collapsible storage seat box 1can be used as a seat (see FIG. 5). When not in use, the collapsiblestorage seat box 1 can be collapsed into a flat condition (see FIG. 6),convenient for storage or carrying.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a collapsible storage seat box 1 in accordance with asecond embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment issubstantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with theexception that this second embodiment further comprises a firstpartition board 15A and a second partition board 15B. The firstpartition board 15A and the second partition board 15B are foldable.When set in the box body 11, the first partition board 15A and thesecond partition board 15B divide the inside space of the boxy body 11into multiple storage chambers. Further, thee first partition board 15Aand the second partition board 15B can also be closely attached to theinside walls of the first and second upright panels of the box body 11(see FIG. 9), and then folded with the box body 11 into a collapsed flatcondition.

Although particular embodiment of the invention have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

1. A collapsible storage seat box, comprising: a folding collapsible boxbody formed of a soft box body cloth and multiple hard boards wrapped insaid soft box body cloth; a plurality of folding partition boards set insaid folding collapsible box body to divide the holding space of saidfolding collapsible box body into multiple storage chambers; a pluralityof reinforcing bars vertically insertable into said folding collapsiblebox body and attachable to each corner in said folding collapsible boxbody; a plurality of first fastening members fixedly provided insidesaid folding collapsible box body around corners in said foldingcollapsible box body; a plurality of second fastening members fixedlyarranged at said reinforcing bars and fastenable to said first fasteningmembers to hold said reinforcing bars inside said folding collapsiblebox body in vertical; and a cover member formed of a soft cover membercloth and a plurality of hard boards and wrapped in said soft covermember cloth and hinged to said folding collapsible box body and adaptedfor covering said folding collapsible box body, said cover membercomprising two opposing first side blocks wrapped in said soft covermember cloth and arranged in parallel at two opposite lateral sides, twoopposing second side blocks wrapped in said soft cover member cloth andrespectively kept in line with said first side blocks in such a mannerthat a folding line is defined in said soft cover member cloth betweeneach said first side block and the associating second side block and athird side block wrapped in said soft cover member cloth and set betweensaid second side blocks remote from said folding collapsible box body insuch a manner that a folding line is defined in said soft cover membercloth between said third side block and each said second side block. 2.The collapsible storage seat box as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidfirst fastening members and said second fastening members are hook andloop materials.
 3. The collapsible storage seat box as claimed in claim1, wherein said reinforcing bars have a triangular cross section.
 4. Thecollapsible storage seat box as claimed in claim 1, wherein each saidfirst side block has a beveled end edge; said second side blocks aretriangular blocks.
 5. The collapsible storage seat box as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said folding collapsible box body further comprises aplurality of loops located on the inside, and a plurality of rod memberssupported in said loops for hanging things.